Hi. This is my first post. I hope someone can help me out. I bought a used 44 gallon tall tank off Craigslist last week. The person I bought it off is said the tank has been up and running for 3 years. Obviously it was an established tank. He pulled the fish the night before I went to pick it up. He finished vacuuming the tank down to just the gravel as I arrived. Long story short, I brought the tank home that night and filled the tank with tap water with chlorine remover in it. The next day I went and got 3 sunburst plates and 3 bleeding heart tetras. I was thinking that the tank would cycle and I would see a spike in ammonia and stressed fish. The second day I noticed a couple fish that weren't acting right. I unplugged the filter, that he gave me also so that the two week fish didnt get sucked up. The next morning they seemed to be doing fine. I tested the water and everything was in the perfect level. Ammonia 0, Nitrites 0 and Nitrates were not showing anything as well. I guess my question is, did this tank not need to cycle because of the gravel and filter that I bought? The tank is crystal clear, the levels are perfect and the fish are happy. I want to add more fish, but I want to make sure it is complete.

Also, I would like to share my future stock and would like to knowing this looks okay with everyone. I plan on adding a male beta, a clown loach and a rainbow shark. I have been reading all day and bit sounds like if I plant it pretty well they should all get along. I'm sure each situation is different. Eventually I plan on adding a couple to a few angels and some schooling fish, such as neons. I will probably throw 5 or 6 ghost shrimp in there as well. If they get eaten, they get eaten. I have an aqua clear filter 300 on back with a foam, biomax, foam configuration in the filter. Please let me know if I am on the right track. Thanks for your input in advance.

If you take an established tank home and some media stays wet, it will "cycle" very quickly, but you should expect some "mini-cycle" because some bacteria will not survive the trip. For you to know you are in a safe zone, you need to see nitrates rise. Then you can add fish slowly. Each addition, you will get another "minicycle". The Amount of bacteria that live in your filter drop down to match what they get to eat. But going up from many to lots is a whole lot easier than starting from none.

I was going to attempt to plant live plants down one side. I dont think there will be enough light However. I am just using the standard bulb that came with the tank. There is a slot for a 2nd light however and i May go buy one of those this week to give more light. I did not pour tap water in, I treated it first. My water is filtered an dechlorinated anyway, but just to be safe I used conditioner. This is day 6 and the fish are happy as can be and everything is showing zeros. I have an aqua clear 300 that i out foam, biomax, and foam in in that order last night. The tank is crystal clear. Am I ready to add fish, all my readings are stiill at 0. Could you aolso touch on my stocking ideas thayt I posted above. Thanks for your time.